For Japanese families living in Singapore, keeping your child’s Japanese alive is a real concern. Many families rely on the Japanese Supplementary School (JSS) — in fact one of the largest supplementary schools in Asia — where children learn Japanese subjects every Saturday. It’s a valuable place. But you may also know the “it’s the right thing to do, but it’s hard” feeling: Saturdays disappear, popular classes fill up, the commute adds up, and the pace doesn’t always fit your child. This guide lays out how to keep Japanese going in Singapore without burning out — as an alternative to, or alongside, supplementary school.
Singapore’s Japanese supplementary school (JSS): valuable, but demanding
The Japanese Supplementary School Singapore (JSS) began in 1992 in a single room at the Japanese Association and has grown into one of the largest supplementary schools in Asia. Children attending local or international schools during the week come on Saturdays to study Japanese language and subjects. It’s an irreplaceable resource — but in Singapore specifically, families often feel these strains:
- Saturdays disappear: school activities, sports, lessons and family plans all compete with Saturday, and it gets harder to keep up.
- Popular = limited places: kindergarten and lower grades fill quickly, so you can’t always join when you want to.
- The commute: even on a small island, the Saturday-morning round trip to a fixed campus eats into parents’ time.
- Pace and level mismatch: the Japanese national curriculum moves fast, so children from mixed or long-term-overseas families often stumble on grade-level kanji — while others find it too easy and lose interest.
The key point: leaving supplementary school does not mean giving up on Japanese. If it doesn’t fit, you can switch to a format your child can actually keep up with — or use it to fill the gaps.
Online options to replace — or complement — supplementary school
Online options fall into three types, differing in whether children make friends, whether they’re built for kids, and whether they last. For families in Singapore, there’s an extra advantage: Japan is just one hour ahead.
| Type | Format | Makes friends | Built for kids | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online supplementary school | Small group, textbook-based | ○ (kids abroad) | ○ | Keeping up academic subjects |
| 1-on-1 tutoring (italki / Preply) | 1-on-1, pick a tutor | × | △ (adults to kids) | Fixing a specific weakness |
| Self-study (Kumon / workbooks / apps) | Worksheets, tablet | × | ○ | Building basics at your own pace |
| TOMODACHI JAPAN | Small group, unlimited sessions | ◎ (peers living in Japan) | ◎ | Having fun, keeping going, making friends |
Most options can teach but can’t help a child make friends. Self-study and 1-on-1 leave children working alone, so the “I want to do it again” feeling fades. For a fuller comparison, see an online alternative to Japanese supplementary school.
Three reasons TOMODACHI JAPAN fits families in Singapore
1. Just one hour apart — join on a weekday evening, no disruption
Singapore is only one hour behind Japan. Japan’s evening lessons land right in your weekday evening in Singapore — so you don’t have to give up other things to keep Saturday free. Children join from home after local or international school. Zero driving.
2. The other side is “peers living in Japan” — friends make it last
Most online supplementary schools connect Japanese-heritage kids abroad with each other. TOMODACHI JAPAN connects your child with real, same-age children living in Japan from our sister school, NIJIN Academy (1,000+ students). Your child in Singapore makes friends in Japan; kids in Japan make new friends too. Japanese grows not because “it’s study,” but because “I want to talk to my friend.” On home visits, when talking with grandparents, when they move back — those friendships keep paying off.
3. Built for kids + unlimited sessions — your child’s level, made fun
The “grade-5 wall” trips up many kids at supplementary school. TOMODACHI JAPAN doesn’t march everyone through the national curriculum — classes are split by conversation level, built specifically for children. A complete beginner who can’t read hiragana and a child who was bored because it was too easy can both start at their own level. We measure growth not by test scores but by “how many friends did you make?” And with unlimited monthly sessions for ¥21,483 (about S$185), the more your child joins, the lower the cost per session.
FAQ (from families in Singapore)
Can we use it alongside JSS supplementary school?
Absolutely. “Reading and writing at supplementary school + conversation and friends at TOMODACHI JAPAN” is an effective combination. If your child can read but can’t speak, a place for conversation and friends fits especially well.
What time are lessons? Can we join on weekdays?
Japan is only one hour ahead, so Japan’s evening sessions fall in your weekday evening in Singapore. Children can join comfortably from home after local or international school.
My child’s English is now stronger and they lack confidence in Japanese. Is that okay?
That’s fine. Classes are split by conversation level, so your child starts with peers at a similar stage. Listening quietly at first is okay — once they make friends, they naturally want to talk. Children whose first language is closer to English are very welcome.
Can we keep going if we move back to Japan or relocate again?
Yes. Because it’s online, your child keeps the same friends — in Singapore, back in Japan, or at the next posting. For expat families who often have to leave friends behind when they move, “friends you can see wherever you are” is a real source of stability.
Related reading: Weighing every online route — a full school in English, the Japanese curriculum, or Japanese as a subject alongside school? Our parent’s guide to virtual schools in Japan compares them all.
